I know how to make folders and import pictures into them, and I know how to choose pictures from several folders and make them into a collection. I also know how to make and use presets for exporting. I have what seems to me to be a complex series of tasks and I am not sure how to go about it in LR4.

1) I went on a trip and did about 12 days of shooting, and imported them into 12 folders, named by the date of the shoot and the subject. There are 5 people for whom I printed pictures, each getting a combination of images from various of the folders. Each person will get a unique set of prints, and some of the people will get a few prints that some of the others get, as well.

This was easy. After processing the images and softproofing them, I then made a collection for each person, containing virtual copies of the print-ready files, and was able quite easily to print from each collection using Qimage.I named the collections for the purpose: JohnPrints, JanePrints, etc.

2) Now I want to make Jpegs of those images plus many more which I did not print. Again, each person will get a group of Jpegs, tailored to that person, which will include some images that they alone get, as well as some images that 2 or more of them will get. These will be burned to CD's or DVD's depending on the number of the files.

My first inclination was to make empty collections named JohnJpegs, JaneJpegs, etc. I would then select the files for each and add them to the 5 Jpeg collections, then export each collection to the size of Jpeg I want. I had wanted then to go to each folder of jpegs and burn each folder to a CD or DVD. I would also like to retain the folders of jpegs in case I need to burn further CD's, so exporting and burning the CD's without producing a folder of jpegs is out of the question.

Am I best off making actual folders of jpegs for each person rather than making collections for each person when it comes to the jpeg files?

I had to re-read what you wrote several times since I'm having trouble understanding the full extent of what you are asking so correct me if I understood you incorrectly.

I myself have a folder "Exported Photos" with sub-folders (you can have your Jane, John etc.) somewhere on my computer and export my developed photos into those folders at the JPEG quality settings I want. Isn't this what you're doing and you're asking if you should keep those folders? If so the answer is yes keep those folders because you have a use for it. If you don't have enough room, I would advise you to increase your storage capacity.

If you're looking at better ways to organize your photos that's a whole other discussion altogether and mostly involves figuring out what works for you. But I can tell you that if I am exporting a batch of photos, I will often create collections for it, especially if I know there's a chance I'll be working off it again. If like you, I went on a trip with say 5 friends, and I took the time to sort out the group photos and individual photos for each of them, and after that I took the time to develop those photos and also picked out photos where I put in further work to softproof for printing, there is no way I'm throwing away that work when there's a chance I'll be revisiting those photos.

But it sounds like your second question is whether you should organize first then export or export and then organize. I'm terrible at organizing things but I made a point of taking the time to organizing my photos in LR in an effort to make my life easier as my photos accumulate. So my advice is to organize first. You already created collections for each individual. It doesn't take much more effort to create collections for photos you want to export. Do that and then create/select folders you want the exported photos to go.

What you've done is right on the mark in creating collections for each person. If there is one tweak, I would make sure the same virtual copy of "duplicate" photos (e.g. the same photo in more than one collection) is the same virtual copy so that if edits are needed, you are only doing it once. Bu that's not what you were asking about...

With regards to the jpegs, to me, it sounds like making collections of Johnjpegs, Janejpegs is the route to go. That way, you are always working with the originals. You could keep folders of jpegs, but if you are doing it "just in case" they need them again, it's probably not a good use of HD space when exporting a collection for a new set of jpegs is so seamless in LR.

There's no need to export the JPEGs separately. You can create the JPEGs at the same time you burn the images to the optical disc. Just create your collections, export to cd/dvd and set the parameters of the files (e.g., JPEG, size, compression level, name).

Am I best off making actual folders of jpegs for each person rather than making collections for each person when it comes to the jpeg files?

I hope I have been clear enough in stating my goals.

Addition: Use folders to store originals, use metadata to search & retrieve, use collections/smart collections to collect images for a particular purpose and where it is advantageous to retrieve the collection by name. Such collection can be more permanent of only for the duration of an assignment.Sounds like for your originals you are already down this path.

If the jpeg output is just that: one time only output; i would export these to folders and not get these back into LR as jpg images nor create collections of the orignals used for the export. If you are anticipating that you at some point in time need to recreate this jpeg output, f.i. because some of the orginals are changed, then export as a service could be interesting.

Thanks, all. I thought about each of your ideas, and I think Bob's idea fits best with the way I want to work. It is not the Jpegs that I really want to save, and if I set the collections up right I'll be able to convert and burn the CD's whenever I want to.

There's no need to export the JPEGs separately. You can create the JPEGs at the same time you burn the images to the optical disc. Just create your collections, export to cd/dvd and set the parameters of the files (e.g., JPEG, size, compression level, name).

Thanks to all the advice, what I did was create the collections for each person's jpegs by dragging the needed files out of each actual folder as needed. I then created an Export preset using the jpeg qualities and pixel dimensions I needed, set to burn them to a CD/DVD. It worked like a charm, and I don't have to have the jpegs on my hard drive since I could always return to the specific collection(s) and burn another CD on the fly.

That's the great joy of Lightroom - much less need for multiple copies. As you describe, I don't keep versions I export for someone else, for a web site, to send to print etc. I use collections, keywords, star-ratings or even colour labels to flag images for particular purposes. No need to keep the exported versions; I create them again if needed. And no multiple file versions cluttering up the place in sub-folders for print, website or whatever - a single file for each image. Multiple physical copies only when I edit in an external editor (e.g. Photoshop).

I took photos for a theatrical production recently. Shots went for promotional material, the programme, media reports, a calendar... After review, often the same set would be needed again, maybe with some changes and edits. Pictures were taken over a series of shoots at rehearsals, specific photo shoots and during the live performances, and ended up in a series of different folders (one per shoot). But it was easy to create collections for each purpose, and export them from fresh as needed.

Thanks to all the advice, what I did was create the collections for each person's jpegs by dragging the needed files out of each actual folder as needed. I then created an Export preset using the jpeg qualities and pixel dimensions I needed, set to burn them to a CD/DVD. It worked like a charm, and I don't have to have the jpegs on my hard drive since I could always return to the specific collection(s) and burn another CD on the fly.

My admiration for LR has grown again!

That was exactly my point: don't keep things that LR can generate (or re-generate) for you at the click of a mouse.

I've used a great many pieces of software over the last few decades. Some have impelled me to wonder whether sticking pins in my eyes might be a more pleasurable experience. Some have been enjoyable. Some (the few I wrote myself) have been well-nigh perfect Nothing has rivalled LR as a combination of phenomenal power, great depth and staggering ease of use. I yield to nobody in my admiration for its authors.